In 1771, sailor John Commings was convicted of perjury after falsely accusing Captain Richard Broad of murdering Thomas Scott aboard the King David. This remarkable Old Bailey case exposed contradictions, collapsing testimony, and the deadly danger of false evidence in an age when a man’s life could hang on a witness’s word.
Tag Archives: Georgian justice
This Day in History — 2 October 1822
Henry Rumbold — The Stolen Kettle (2 October 1822)
On this day, Henry Rumbold stole a copper tea kettle and pewter pot. Convicted at the Old Bailey, he was sentenced to seven years’ transportation.
This Day in History — 25 September 1789
Mary Stultz — Petticoats and Prison (25 September 1789)
On this day, Mary Stultz stole a flannel petticoat and linen shirt. Convicted at the Old Bailey, she was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for goods worth just two shillings
This Day in History – 18 September 1805
Tried at the Old Bailey for feloniously assaulting a man on the King’s highway, William Player was found guilty. The case reflected Georgian London’s anxieties about lawlessness on the roads.
This Day in History – 16 September 1812
16 September 1812 — Old Bailey Manslaughter: Thomas Oakley was tried for manslaughter at the Old Bailey after a death for which the court found him responsible but not guilty of murder.
This Day in History — 27 August 1729
27 August 1729 — Old Bailey: Benjamin Rand was convicted of a lesser offence in a housebreaking case and sentenced to transportation, illustrating how Georgian juries softened capital charges.
This Day in History – 19 August 1844
On 19 August 1844, John Morphew was convicted at the Old Bailey for stealing a rasp and horseshoes from his farmer-employer—a crime against trust as much as property.
📜 This Day in History – 4 August 1783
James Mackey — The Sly Waistcoats That Cost a Life (4 August 1783)
Accused of stealing two waistcoats worth just eight shillings, servant James Mackey was found guilty and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. A small theft—life changing consequences.
📜 This Day in History – 31 July 1784
John Romaine — The Overcoat Theft That Ended in Exile (31 July 1784)
When John Romaine stole a cloth great-coat from a Westminster house, he was caught within minutes, confessed immediately, and was sentenced to seven years transportation. A quiet crime with life-changing consequences.
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